Triumph: “You shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place”

At some point, early on a Sunday morning, the victory was quietly won. It was publicly announced when visitors to the tomb heard the words, “He is not here for he has risen.” Sin, death, Satan, demons, and evil had been defeated. The victory won. The reality on the ground, though, makes it look like the war is still raging. You and I are still battling temptation and sin. Loved ones still die. Evil runs rampant over this world. Satan and his demonic hoard are still active in tearing apart God’s creation. And so, we can be excused for thinking that it doesn’t look like God has actually won.

At this point in history, our confidence as believers is in a promise. We rest in the knowledge that our God is bringing about the culmination of history and the final and full realization of the victory gained at the cross and in Jesus’ resurrection from the grave. The triumph is indeed won, but the application of that victory awaits the final rollout of God’s plan. This is consistent with how we see these things in the Scriptures; the triumph is now but not yet, fulfilled and yet awaiting fulfillment.

These past twelve weeks in the Book of Daniel have pressed us to be Resolved! in our Christian life—to live for Christ even if we are the only one who is. In the face of a world that is not simply non-Christian but increasingly anti-Christian, we must continue to walk boldly with Christ, no matter the cost in an often-hostile environment. As we wrap up this series with the final chapter, Daniel 12, we get a glimpse into the ultimate victory that God has provided for his people, and we will be given solid assurances of that triumph, as well as a challenge to stay the course and continue to live for the Lord in the meantime. We do so on the basis of a rock-solid promise from the God who never breaks his word and who is firmly in control.

If you missed any of the messages in this Daniel series, you can catch up on with the audio podcasts or video on our website. All of the resources I showed during the series are also available, along with sermon notes and small group questions. Take advantage of all this and continue your study into this amazing book.

Sermon Notes

Resolved! Living for Christ when you’re the only one who is
Triumph: “You shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place”
Pastor Todd Dugard // Daniel 12
December 9, 2018

Final triumph is coming for those who believe in Christ.

• Recognize the hard-won victory (v. 1)

• Anticipate the life-giving resurrection (v. 2–4)

• Rest in God’s never-failing promise (v. 5–9)

• Choose your eternity-defining destiny (v. 10)

• Get on with your God-ordained life (v. 11–13)